Upgrading NT Server to Win2000 Server

[dufresnem]

Need to upgrade our existing server to Win2000 Server. Do not have another server, I will have to perform an upgrade on the existing Production Server.

Current Server Hardware and configuration:

NT Server 4.0 PDC w/ SP5 High encryption. Only NT Server I have on this network.

ASUS CUV4X-D mainboard w/ Dual 800 MHz CPU Flashed to latest Revision.
1GB RAM Memory
DISK ID 0 4GB System/Boot Partion NTFS w/ 3GB Free space
DISK IDs 1/2/3 Adpatec 29160N controller connected to (3) Fujitsu MAN3184MP drives (Stripe Set w/ Parity NTFS Volume).

I will patch and install latest updates for all drivers before upgrade. I would like to know the following:

Any issues:

1) Regarding the upgrade process for an existing server to Win2K server?

2) With the upgrade process and Raid Level 5 enabled?
3) Regarding Active Directory?
4) Any thing else I might be missing?

 

[chrisstyles]

I have found the upgrade process for NT4 to be pretty much straight forward.

Just three things to say though, BACKUP, BACKUP, BACKUP.

Use NTBACKUP as well as your third party software (if applicable), if you have to revert, this will get you up and running again faster.

The raid won't be a problem, as it is hardware driven, so WIn2K will just see a single drive. You seen to have plenty of room for the expansion of the system partion which is good.

Have you completed a winnt32 /checkupgradeonly this is particulary good at spotting things you might have missed.

The active directory upgrade should also be fairly straight forward. Not seen any problems in this area.

All in all sounds like a firly simple and straight forward job, good luck. Chris Styles

NT4/2000 MCSE

 

[TRACEYTEK]

Hi i was thinking of doing this also, but i have 3 hard drives c this is NT, E, F, G

now installing Windows 2000, does it wipe out just NT and re install on top .....does it say do you want to upgrade, can you increase the size of the FAT space as i don;t like NT taking 2046 (sorry can;t recall the actuall size ).

 

[dufresnem]

Where can I find the checkupgradeonly utility?

 

[GlenJohnson]

Where can I find the checkupgradeonly utility?

Go to

http://msdn.microsoft.com

and do an advanced search. You'll find it. Just remember PDC's don't exist in W2K, but you do have DC's. You'll have to get DNS running for Active Directory to work correctly. I've only upgraded one NT4 box to W2K, and it's a stand alone server. Just made sure NT was at the latest service pack, upgraded, installed hfnetcheck to make sure I had all the latest patches and I haven't had a problem with it.
Glen A. Johnson
Microsoft Certified Professional
glen@nellsgiftbox.com

"There is nothing in this world constant but inconstancy."
Jonathan Swift (1667-1745); Irish author.

 

[CoolClark]

Just a thought,

We grabbed a spare desktop and brought it up as a NT 4.0 BDC so it replicated and had all of our domain info ie users, groups, passwords, etc. Then we took it off line. In case something goes wrong you'll have a backup plan.

 

[chrisstyles]

The check upgrade utiltiy is done by running the win32.exe program from the Win2k install CD. use "win32 /checkupgradeonly" to perform a check of your system. To do the upgrade, just run win32.exe with no switch.

The backup BDC is a good plan, but time consuming if you are time charged.

Hope this helps.
Chris Styles

NT4/2000 MCSE

 

[dufresnem]

Question about Active Directory. This server is a Single Domain PDC. It states in Microsoft documentation that I have to create a new domain when installing Active Directory.

If I understand this correctly, I would then have to reconfigure every workstation to join a new domain.

 

[imatthec]

No, you don't have to create a new domain. When upgrading you will have to select the first controller in a new forest option. Then you give the same name you've been using.

 

[dufresnem]

One more question:

I do not have DNS setup on my network except for Global DNS from my ISP. During the Active Directory installation it requires a DNS Server to be installed on the server I am upgrading. How do you configure the DNS? Do I only have to specify the IP address and Hostname of the server I am upgrading?

 

[dufresnem]

I should explain in more detail concerning current DHCP and DNS setup.

Configuration:

DHCP server configured on my Netopia router. The router distributes all ISP DNS info, default gateway, etc.. to the client when requested. I DO NOT WANT TO CHANGE THIS!!

During the upgrade to Win2K Server. DNS has to be setup on the server in order for Active Directory to function properly. I presume the DNS setup info entered would pertain to the hostname and IP address of the Win2K server I am upgrading.

How should the clients be setup as far as DNS is concerned? I assume that the clients have to have the DNS entry of the Win2K server running DNS, in order to authenticate AD requests. If this is the case, how would the client machine resolve port 80 requests over the internet. Would I have to setup the Win2K server to forward port 80 requests to my router?

I DO NOT want to enable DHCP service on my Win2K server. I would prefer DHCP to remain on my router.

 

[GlenJohnson]

DNS doesn't have to pointing to the internal dns server, but it helps. I have internal machines pointing to our internal dns servers, and our dns servers pointing to themselves and our external dns servers. The reasoning is if the website someone is trying to locate isn't on our internal dns machines cache, the dns servers go to the external to get name resolution. Once the dns servers have name resolution, it goes into cache, so the next time someone tries going to that website, it goes to our internal dns machines for name resolution, and they get there much faster. Glen A. Johnson
Johnson Computer Consulting
MCP W2K
glen@johnsoncomputers.us

Want to get great answers to your Tek-Tips questions? Have a look at FAQ219-2884
"Since we cannot know all that there is to be known about anything,
we ought to know a little about everything."
Blaise Pascal

 

[dufresnem]

Upgraded my server last weekend and everything went through without a glitch. Need assitance regarding this DNS warning:

Event Viewer shows this:

Source: Netlogon

The DNS server for this DC does not support dynamic DNS. Add the DNS records from the %\SystemRoot%\System32\Config\netlogon.dns to the DNS server serving the domain referenced in that file.

The only DNS server I have on my LAN resides on my DC. Its also configured with forwarders to my ISP DNS.

What do I need to do to resolve this? Will this cause errors or is this just informational? Everthing seems to be working fine.

Any assistance would be appreciated.

PS

Know of any good books on Active Directory and Windows 2000 Server?